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Product of the Week: 2013 1 oz Silver Australian Kookaburra

In 1990, the Perth Mint of Australia began minting an unusual Silver bullion coin: the Silver Kookaburra. These beautiful coins celebrate the very interesting bird native to Australia. The kookaburra is the world’s largest kingfisher and is sometimes called the “laughing jackass” because of its chattering calls. Each year features a different reverse design, and the 2013 is believed to be one of the stand-outs of the entire series!

The reverse of this year’s issue displays two kookaburras sitting on a tree branch, similar to the 1994 and 2001 designs, but in much nicer detail. Each 1 oz Silver Australian Kookaburra contains .999 fine Silver and includes prooflike frosting in the central design. The obverse of this Silver coin features a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and lists the face value of the coin, which originally was $5, but was lowered to $1 in 1992.

The Perth Mint began in 1899 as a branch of Britain’s Royal Mint in order to help supply the Gold sovereigns and half sovereigns that were used as everyday circulating coins throughout the British Empire. In 1970, control of the mint passed from Britain to the Western Australian Government, which still owns it to this day.